<a href=”http://woodtv.triton.net/news/epic%20poll%2010209.txt”>Wood TV in Grand Rapids has the poll</a>

Now this is real early, but the results are so far promising. EPIC/MRA, a democrat leaning polling firm, has all GOP candidates leading Cherry in the General election except Rick Snyder. The taps were posted by Wood TV in Grand Rapids. Some interesting results.

Direction (US).

35% – Right Direction

58% – Wrong Direction

Direction (Michigan)

17% – Right Direction

75% – Wrong Direction

The Democrat candidates are:

• Lt. Governor John  Cherry, who was a former state senator from Clio, a Flint suburb.
• State Rep and former State Senator Alma Wheeler Smith who ran for LT Governor with David Bonior back in 2002. She’s from Ypsilanti.
• Former MSU coach George Perles
• Former Flint mayor Don Williamson
• Former State Rep John Freeman from Oakland County.

Democrat Primary:

33% – John Cherry

5% – Alma Wheeler Smith

3% – George Perles (Yes, that Perles)

3% – Don Williamson

2% – John Freeman

54% – Undecided

The Republican Candidates Are

• Attorney General Mike Cox from Livonia in Wayne County.
• Congressman Pete Hoekstra from Holland in Ottawa County
• Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard from Birmingham
• State Senator Tom George from Portage near Kalamazoo
• Former CEO of Gateway Rick Snyder from Ann Arbor
• Former Huron County Commissioner Tim Rujan

Republican Primary:

29% – Pete Hoekstra

28% – Mike Cox

14% – Mike Bouchard

3% – Rick Snyder

2% – Tom George

24% Undecided.

Positive/Negative Obama

48% – Positive

51% – Negative

Positive/Negative Granholm

33% – Positive

66% – Negative

Matchups:

45% Cox

30% Cherry

25% Undecided

40% Hoekstra

33% Cherry

27% Undecided

39% Bouchard

31% Cherry

30% Undecided

34% Cherry

32% Snyder

34% Undecided

Once again. This is a democrat leaning polling firm. This isn’t Strategic Vision. This isn’t even Mitchell. From this firm, Cox leads by 15, and the rest have leads of at least 7 outside of Rick Snyder. The results are good if you are not a democrat or Rick Snyder. The problem with Cherry is that he’s Michigan’s version of Al Gore in a bad economy. After eight years of an administration, there’s usually fatigue. Reagan was the exception, and the VP Bush won in 1988. Gore had a good economy, and he still couldn’t win because he turned into a gun grabber when he went national. Dick Cheney didn’t run in 2008, but probably would have done no different than McCain.

Posthumus could have won with a little more help as the 12% expected loss turned into 4%. Still wasn’t a win. Engler broke the 8 year jinx with a third term however. Milliken’s first choice lost in the primary after 12 years. Blanchard himself lost when he wanted a 3rd term. After 8 years, usually it’s trouble.

And unless things change in the next year, it’s big trouble for Granholm/Cherry. Cherry isn’t following Clinton who had a good rep thanks to the 1994 Republicans and their work on the economy. Cherry’s following the Matt Millen of governors.